Poison in Heartland
by SuperSerious
Summary: With the flow of crimson blood, her world went dark and she died. Or did she really? Now within a new world, she is determined to unravel the mystery surrounding the one who brought her there. He claims she knows him. He claims she tired to kill him. The only thing is...she cant remember meeting him at all. AU. UNDER REVISION. HIATUS.
1. Chapter 1: Demon in Heartland

**Poison in Heartland **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Heart no Kuni no Alice.**

* * *

She could remember. Vaguely, but still, she remembered.

The sunlight had been golden; grass swaying with the breeze. Her dress was of white billowing cloth. Her bare feet trekked across this swaying grass; skin exposed to this golden light. Everything seemed surreal. It was like a dream.

She remembered blood. It had felt like warm rain going down her figure; thin and sticky between her fingers; a bitter tang within her mouth. Her vision was leaving her, along with the precious drops that speckled a trail behind her. Any sense of feeling had long ago abandoned the blood-crusted fingers clutching her side.

With every step she winced. Her body trembled without consent. Her tears flowed down her face exactly like the blood. It was here she knew she would die; fly away like cotton on the breeze. She was afraid, yes, but had no protest.

With that decision, she fell. The world turning, followed up by a slam so hard it knocked the breath out of her. She choked out crimson blood through her chapped lips; finger nails digging into the earth. The sun now glared directly in her eyes; a merciless white. She reached out towards the magnificent sun with blood and soil crusted fingers, gripping nothing but air.

She wanted to grasp the gentle hands of an angel. If this was death, then where was her angel? She searched with her fingers for another moment, but then they stilled in defeat. Of course she had no angel.

With that, she closed her eyes. There was no longer a world around her. Just the light shining through her eyes lids. Crimson continued to spill out her mouth. Breathing was becoming the hardest task. She wondered what awaited her. Was it Heaven? Hell? Was it nothingness that stretched on forever? She would find out soon.

So soon, that it startled her; the strong arms of what she assumed could only be God wrapping around her, lifting her up into the sky. There was a sway as she traveled, like that of a willow tree; the feel of cotton on the breeze.

Then a long terrifying fall; a fall that stretched on forever; her hair whipping around her face; wind roaring in her ears. Heaven was not down. Were these the coiling arms of a Demon instead? Was she fated to be taken to depths of Hell?

She opened her eyes just barely enough to see hair of flowing white, and eyes of red. Sinister and beady red eyes; definitely a demon. With an unheard plea of protest; she slipped into the chambers of unconsciousness.

* * *

She next awoke to the ink of night; winking speckles of light scattered across the above. She raised trembling fingers once again, an inaudible whisper of confusion passing through her lips.

Though inaudible, it caused the grass to respond in a subtle rustle, and then a delicate thud, as something settled beside her. She turned her head weakly to the right, and was regrettably greeted by familiar eyes of red, coming to lean over her, blocking her view of the starry above. Such a figure made her cringe. She was afraid.

A gentle gloved palm came to rest on her cheek; warm and soothing, a touch not foreseen to belong to a demon with sinister eyes of red. She leaned into it; fore an act of affection was unfamiliar to her. Something she thought she had forgotten long ago. Perhaps the red–eyed demon was an angel after all.

Before her dazed mind could react, the gentle hand slid to her chin raising it, and then the whitest of hair brushed against her cheeks. Ghostly lips came down to cover hers, seconds later the taste of liquid fire passing through them. She winced as it burned down her throat; raising her arms to fight back, and shoving the demon away with fist force. She coughed violently, liquid trickling out the side of her mouth.

She shook with protest as the demon's arms wrapped around and under her, lifting her up; raising her to the sky as it had before. A vial of cold glass was placed within her palm. She gripped it tightly, the taste of spicy liquid still attacking her throat. She coughed again; flailing with new determination, but the demon failed to budge. Her actions in protest were futile, so she relaxed in defeat. Her head fell to the demon's arm, and she retreated within the chambers of dark once again. The vial fell from her fingers. Different hands would stop to pick it up.

* * *

There were whispers, many of them. They were blurry, an annoyance to her half-conscious state. Her eyes drifted open, sunlight painfully greeting her. She swallowed, though none of the burning liquid remained within her throat. Thirst and hunger bombarded her.

She propped herself up on her elbows, messy black hair fell in her eyes. It was crusted with dried blood. Blood! She recalled her memories from before, her death and the…demon! She looked around frantically from side to side. He wasn't here now. Then what were the voices? How come she was no longer injured? Surely where she was now couldn't be Hell. Hell was supposed to be a horrible place.

She inhaled a deep breath. Well, she was certainly alive. She turned her head to the voices; blocked behind a heavy oak door. She retreated back down into sheets of pale rose. A gold-trimmed blanket of white enfolded her frame. Her dirtied hand moved to grasp it, casting it swiftly beside her. She swung her legs to the side, her bare feet meeting the cold wood. It made her slightly shiver.

What was once crimson casually flaked off of her dress as brown. The white fabric could be describes as nothing other than ruined. She looked around the room once more. A wardrobe existed not fifteen feet away. An open doorway leading to a small bathroom was beside it. She hesitated to go near. Would it be ok? Wasting other peoples shower water? Putting on their clothes? She couldn't go out anywhere dressed like this, but if she used the shower, she could be doing something wrong.

She shook off the thought, deciding to take a risk, and apologize later. Her feet traveled across the wooden floor to the bathroom, and she entered tentatively.

* * *

After showering, drying off, combing her hair, and etc., she opened the heavy wardrobe to find nothing inside but dresses. Layers and layers of strange dresses, resembling a fabric rack. Well, that, and strange guy clothes. The white one which she had worn had been nothing to her but involuntary; the most loathsome of obligations, now residing at the bottom of the bathroom trashcan.

She pulled out some of the male attire, deciding with quite unique logic that being a cross-dresser was better than wearing another dress. She quickly dressed herself within the fabric, and then touched it gently in admiration. A little heavy, but not something she would sweat in. The clothing was grand. It reminded her of the Knights of the Round Table. She lacked nothing but a sword.

In a newly somewhat good mood, she stepped with valiant leather boots across to the intimidating door of oak. It swung open with power. Predictably, a hallway was on the other side. The voices that had once been, now were vanished. She placed her foot tentatively out into the hall, hesitating for the longest of moments, before making a decision that it was safe.

Her knightly-clad form then embarked down the hallway, until she reached fine carpeted staircases, feathery crimson upon the hard surface of wood; step after step downward spawned another great echo; voices below traveled up to her ears. A palace, she assumed. A palace of vibrant color, yet doused within grimly aura. Such an aura she was familiar with.

Nearing the bottom, she sped up; another step of too-large leather boots. A stumble was not foreseen. She let out a cry, tumbling ungracefully forward. She knew she was going to be severely hurt. Would it magically heal like the last time? Or would the land be fatal?

She braced herself for great pain, but that is not what greeted her. It was a feeling that was quickly becoming familiar. The grip of gloved hands pulled her back, and then captured her in secure embrace. Her heart had jumped with panic, now pounding as hard as a hammer. Just seconds before, she would have landed on her neck. How ironic it was her demon that had saved her, he who had fallen with her fall before.

She stood frozen for a second, her breathing fast, until she was brave enough to turn around. She was not met with the sight she expected; instead, an impassive human face, round rimmed glasses, and the long soft ears of a rabbit. She instinctively tried to bounce back in surprise; however the arms did not release her, their grip tightening. Was this creature not a demon at all? Like some kind of albino anthropomorphic human-rabbit crossbreed? How was that even possible?

"Thanks...You saved my life…but what are you?" She whispered. The demon's expression became solemn, a hand moving to his chin. "You don't remember anything...do you Gwendolyn? You tried to kill me." Gwendolyn's eyes became large. "What? I would have never tried anything like that!" Her voice was tinged with slight doubt.

He watched her closely for a second, and then responded with a simple: "I see." The arm uncurled from around her, a gloved hand now grasping her own. "I am Peter White. You may seek me out at any time. For now, though, we mustn't keep Queen Vivaldi waiting."

Blue eyes widened in alarm; refrained questions now spilling out. "Wait, a queen? Just where am I, and how did you bring me here? How did I heal? What are you? Why would I try to kill-" His finger silenced her lips. "You will find out all that soon. Come on now, we mustn't be late." He tugged her forward a step, however, she pulled her hand away. "How can I trust that a demon is telling me the truth?"

Peter blinked, head tipped to the side curiously. "You think I am a demon?" Gwendolyn nodded. Peter raised his fingers to his chin again. "Ah, that is interesting." His expression then changed, becoming a wide grin. "Gwendolyn, I promise you I am nothing of the sort." She backed up a step. She was not convinced. "Then why did I try to kill you?" His only answer was a smile.

* * *

Quite an intimidating sight, she who was empowered and confident, perched upon the throne. Gwendolyn felt uneasy being in such a presence. The towering queen observed her for a bit before speaking. "Welcome to The Country of Hearts foreigner. We are Vivaldi, The Queen of Hearts. White has already informed us of your arrival." Gwendolyn nodded; her feet shifted from side to side. "Um, thank you for welcoming me." She said in politeness.

The queen nodded. "You will be living here at Heart Castle." Curly purple hair shifted as Vivaldi tipped her head. "Though, we do not see the vial within your palm. Where is it?" Gwendolyn frowned, shaking her head. "Vial?" Suddenly surfacing, the memory of glass placed within her hand by gloved fingers. "Wait I remember." Her expression turned malicious, a finger now targeting Peter. "Hey, what the hell did you make me drink you demon!"

The queen answered for him. "By drinking the liquid within the vile, you are now a part of the game, outsider." A frown formed on Gwendolyn's face. "The game? Is it a special game or something?" Vivaldi's face remained impassive. "That's right. A very special kind of game; the more people you become acquainted with in Wonderland, the more liquid will appear within the vile; only then, may you return to your world, though it cannot be alone." She bit her lip; a skeptical tone to her voice. "So, in order to leave here I just need to fill the vile up , drink it again, and then leave with some volunteer?" Vivaldi nodded. Gwendolyn's eyes darkened with suspicion. "That's too simple. There's a catch, isn't there?"

A small chuckle came from Peter; the queen's face was unreadable still. "You need to find your lost vial first, outsider." A nod of her head, before her face switched from frown to one of anxiety. She shifted her eyes to the ground, before hesitantly addressing the queen again. "If I go back, will I die for real this time?" Once again she got no answer. Vivaldi's face betrayed nothing, nor did Peter's. Silence carried on for a minute before the queen dismissed her.

Peter joined her on her way out. It was a silent reunion, a simple exchange of indifferent expressions. It was only after they started walking, that gloved fingers slipped in through hers, intertwining. This action was performed as if it had been done time and time before; the most natural thing in the world; a habit not yet broken. Even with lack of memory, it was from this action she knew; Peter White had to have been telling her the truth; why she would try to kill him, she could not be certain.

One thing for certain, though, was that Peter White knew her far better than she had realized before.

* * *

**Gwendolyn is a little twisted, no? You have seen nothing yet. Lol.  
**

**Is Peter in character?  
**

**This is my first story, so I am very knew to this story posting stuff. :d**

**Flames are welcome. Yay fire!  
**

**I could also use all the help I can get, so add you opinions and input. :3  
**


	2. Chapter 2: Footprints in Heartland

**Poison in Heartland **

**Sorry I took so incredibly long to update. I feel like a horrible person. T^T**

**I realized I was a much slower writer than I thought. I was also preoccupied with many things, some of them being: having to write a research essay on box jellyfish, hatching baby chicks, school, riot paper, volcano building project, volcano research essay, finals studying, reading book for school, and on top of all of that…waking up in the middle of the night from a nightmare, and instead of going back to sleep, deciding to watch Heart no Kuni no Alice Wonderful Wonder World to get a better perspective of Wonderland, even though it was in Japanese without subtitles, so I didn't understand a word. **

**I had major writers block during this, so it is not at its best. **

**Once again so sorry for not updating sooner! D:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Heart no Kuni no Alice.**

* * *

As quickly as it came, the day escaped to night by a blanket of sparkle swooping across the sky; sparkle which was quick to dissipate. It truly was the most enigmatic of phenomenon, this world she was just introduced to.

A decorative china cup was lowered to its saucer. Blue eyes were cynical. "I don't understand how that is possible. Day and night are due to the rotation of the earth and the position the sun is hitting it. I can't accept your explanation."

Together they were seated at a table, it being a tea party. There was a small chuckle from Peter White, he too setting down his cup. "You assume that I'm a demon, yet you cannot believe that space and time are different in this world." He received a sharp glare. "Well, I'm not really sure what you are anymore, but how can this place exist if it is not like a normal planet? Nothing here makes sense."

He smiled a grin that knew too much; a tap of his finger adjusting his glasses. "Does it need to make sense? Ever considered that Wonderland may be magical?" A scowl on her face, Gwendolyn looked away. Arms were crossed stubbornly. "Well, I guess I have."

A subtle look of victory within eyes of red; he got up from the table gracefully. "Well that is a start." With calm footsteps he began to leave, placing his hand on her shoulder as he passed by. "Try to be more open-minded, Gwendolyn." She was left with that, glaring heatedly at his retreating figure. She was certain he could feel it scorching into his back.

She shook of her anger and took a deep breath. There was no need to get so worked up. She herself rising from the table; her eyes scanned the garden around. So much she could explore around this place, although she had been ordered by Peter to not enter other grounds. She was staying at Heart Castle for free, so it would be best to follow their rules; although, she felt strong dislike for them.

Valiant boots treaded upon freshly trimmed grass, the scent of it sharp within the air. Gwendolyn took in a whiff, quite liking it. The slight breeze warmed her skin; ruffled the leafy hedges around her. So safe, it felt here. Within her own world, never would she have made such a mistake of darting around at night. She wondered about the vial, her mood quickly turning grim. Did it really matter whether or not she found it? It's not like she wanted to return, and she could very well die once she got there; if she wasn't already dead.

With a sigh she plopped down in the grass; the light of the moon reflecting around her. Was staying even a good idea? To dwell for the rest of her life within this place of random times, people with rabbit ears, and vials of burning liquid? She turned to lie on her side, eye lids slightly dropping. There was the presence of sorrow. Returning to her world just didn't appeal at all.

* * *

The faint rustle of footsteps on grass made her sit up. Blue eyes narrowed. There was no one she saw, however she had a strange feeling. It was one that told her to be afraid; the feeling of another watching her. There definitely was someone here.

"Reveal yourself." Her voice spoke that order, trying to be strong. She was surprised she pulled off a commanding tone. The area remained silent, no response within the dark of night. She waited, shifting her eyes and focusing her ears. Just silence; a silence too still for comfort; yet the unsettling feeling remained. She rose from her knees slowly, cautiously. She inhaled a quiet breath. "That just makes you a coward then."

Both awaited and dreaded, she finally got her response; it was a soft chuckle rising upon the breeze. Following slowly afterwards out of the shadows, a figure slipped, sword in hand. The moonlight revealed the face of a young man. He spoke, the amused tone of his voice startling her.

"So you heard me. Good job. I was just planning to give you a little scare, that's all." He had a casual and friendly face, posture relaxed. His hair was of cinnamon-brown; eyes burgundy. Never would she fall for his performance, when such a firm grip was on the sword. She felt afraid. She was certain she showed it.

Her words came out more of a challenge than she had intended. "Why are you lying when it's a waste?" The man laughed again, posture slightly stiffening. "You're very perceptive." A step was taken towards her, another shortly following. She recognized this feeling; the feeling of prey targeted by predator. She wished she had something to defend herself; anything. Helplessness was a feeling worse than abandonment.

His eyes showed precision; moment showed experience; sword was steady. If this person had wanted her dead, he could have already done it. Why get revealed, and advance to attack her instead? Nothing would be lost by bluntly asking; she didn't beat around the bush. "What do you want?"

Locks of cinnamon-brown swayed as his head tipped slightly to the side; face wearing curiosity. "I don't know what you mean." He came closer. She stepped a foot back in return. Fists were clenched. "Spill it, or I will scream." She knew it was hardly a threat; was the only one she had. She tried to suppress her shaking. She couldn't. Burgundy eyes narrowed, and observed her. Sword started to rise. She cringed away. "Stop it! I have done nothing to you!" She braced herself, but felt nothing.

He stopped coming toward her. "I change my mind." He smiled; it was the friendliest in the world. Gwendolyn stared; a couple of times she blinked. "What?" It was hard to find her voice. Burgundy eyes were bright, vibe entirely different. She had no relief. He had done nothing to earn her trust. "I have decided not to kill you. You're Gwendolyn the foreigner, right?"

Gwendolyn tried to calm the pounding of her heart; utter disbelief. She gasped in a deep breath. "Couldn't you have just asked me earlier?" Smile still remaining, he shook his head with a laugh. "I thought you were a trespasser." She stared, stunned. "Trespassing?" She felt anger rising. "You call that an adequate excuse? That whole 'scare the pants off Gwendolyn act' was completely unnecessary!" He disagreed. "Oh, I really was going to kill you, but not before I confirmed it or not. You didn't act guiltily, though. That I what made me realize you were her. "

The shake of her head in disbelief; she laughed quite bitterly. "You're psychotic." Burgundy eyes slightly narrowed. "We get a certain trespasser quite often. Now come with me, you are a guest so I will escort you back to the castle." He held out an open palm for her to take. His posture was nonthreatening, no bad intentions. She glared at him for a second, before shoving the hand away. "I don't need some escort; especially an escort that is the likes of you. Seek out psychological help." She started to stomp away.

He called after her, voice very serious. "Wait, give me a second!" Grass-covered boots stopped for a moment. She might as well. She face him witch a sour expression. The man reached into his coat and pulled something out. It was the smallest of objects, shining underneath the moon. "This is yours isn't it?" He had it grasped within his hand. Blue eyes widened, curiosity taking over. "Is that the vial that Queen Vivaldi was talking about?" Ace gave a nod of his head. "It is." He held it out like he had the palm.

Gwendolyn hesitated before stepping back to him. She now felt guilty for being rude; was now in another's debt. "Oh, thank you." It was spoken very awkwardly. Her smaller hand reached for it, but in the quickest of movements it was gone. Her head immediately snapped to above her. "Hey!" Smaller fingers darted to grab it, but it was held up high to the left. A low chuckle from the man; smile devious, eyes of burgundy narrowed. "You have to repeat something after me first. You have to say: "I'm sorry Ace, my skilled and valiant knight, for being such a brat." His tone was arrogant. Oh, the power of provocation; it could play another like a puppet on a string.

She gave a growl, arms crossing with great irritation. "Alright, Fine! I'm sorry Ace, my skilled and valiant knight, for being such a brat." His devious smile warped to a smirk. "That wasn't sincere enough for me. Oh well, looks like it's now mine." With a turn of his body, He started to depart; larger hand shoving the vial into his coat.

Gwendolyn was shocked. It took her four seconds to re-collect her mind. Her feet launched to trek angrily after him. Fist shook in the air. "Hey! I did what you said, so give it!" He looked back at her, burgundy eyes all amusement. "Didn't you listen? That wasn't sincere enough for me." His every word made her fume.

She stopped herself before she got any angrier, or moved to smack him. That was something which would solve nothing. She attempted to calm herself; inhaled several breaths. It did little. Speaking through gritted teeth, her tone was sharp. "Go ahead, keep it then. I don't particularly care either way." Her voice held apathy. Ace looked at her disbelieving. He returned the blade to its sheath. "You're not serious."

There were several ticks of silence. He finally spoke again. "You are serious?" She nodded, ebony hair swaying as she did so. "I don't want, nor need it anymore." He looked at her quite funny, shaking his head condescendingly. "You sure are strange."

Blue eyes hard, Gwendolyn ignored his remark, storming away in the other direction. Her feet stomped. She could feel burgundy still watching her. Instead of acknowledging, she pretended he was no longer there. She didn't need the stupid vial.

* * *

She was calmer now; the sun shining down, making the water beside her sparkle. Regret had set in a while ago, but she couldn't just return and request it back. A sigh exited her lips. How immature she could act. It was an embarrassment.

Muddy boots trekked across gravelly rocks and soil. The flow of the shallow river was soothing. She continually switched between walking along the side the shore, and splashing through the clear water, her white coattails barley avoiding it. She decided she would take a dip in it sometime. The trees above provided tranquil shading, birdsong filling the area around. She couldn't stop marveling at how similar this world was to hers.

She wondered what the man, Ace, would do with the vial. If he broke it, did that mean there was no chance of going back? Did that mean she would have no choice, but to stay here forever? Blue eyes closed for a heartbeat as she shook off the thought. She would find a way to get it back eventually. Even if in the end she chose to stay, at least she would have had a choice.

She stopped; taking in a startled breath as she remembered. She wasn't supposed to leave the grounds! How had she so easily forgotten? She scolded herself, immediately deciding to backtrack. The quick turn of her feet imprinted deep half-circles into the soft mud. Would Peter and Queen Vivaldi be angry with her? If she was quick, perhaps this incident would go unnoticed. She sped up, the air loud as it passed her ears, the mud sucking at her boots. Her footing was chosen rashly, steps unintentionally uprooting a small weed; something insignificantly overlooked in her haste. She darted as fast as she could.

The weed had been clinging to the shore by only a few roots; had been swaying patiently, and enduring the continuous pounding delivered by the flowing water. The river didn't hesitate to swoop it up, dragging it along, until the water pushed it ashore the other side. It would eventually resume to once again worm its roots into the ground, but for now, it lay sprawled and half-drowned in shock. Beside its new home, rested a second set of footprints, much larger and deeper than her own. They were quite fresh.

* * *

**Oh my goodness! I finally finished it. Yay! **

**If the scene with Ace seems kind of random, it was originally going to be Boris, but Ace fit better, especially after three re-writes. **

**I am going to apologize once more for my lateness. Sorry! T^T  
**

**Oh, and flamers are welcome! :D  
**


	3. Chapter 3: Death in Heartland

**Poison in Heartland**

**Oh my goodness! I took so horribly long to update! Curse writer's block! Curse my 'everything must be precisely perfect and grammatically correct' grammar nazi perfectionist insaneness! I took a ridiculously long time on this chapter. So sorry my readers! (That is, if I have any readers.) Boo me! I promise this story is not dropped. I will try to be more continuous from now on. (That's unless I feel too emo to wright.)**

**Also, please, please tell me whether or not Boris is OOC. I think I did that quite a bit. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Heart no Kuni no Alice. **_Oh how I wish I did… Julius would be mine. *sigh*_

* * *

The sun was high in the sky by the time Gwendolyn arrived there; with fast pace and inhales and exhales of quick breath. Within her frantic sight, Heart Castle towered proud and fore-boarding. Her feet had long ago become tired, though it was not something noticeable to a pounding heart and trembling body.

Grateful boots touching moist viridian grass, the forest gone behind her, panic waned, and she inhaled fine relief. Such a feeling would live a short life, sharp ears catching a familiar voice. It made her stop. Her mind recognized it as Peter's.

Him being the familiar in this world, she would have run towards him; however venomous yells of hostility paralyzed her feet in place. Her body tensed up; fully alert; now on top guard. Such a tone she had not yet experienced him express until now. What had made the rabbit-eared guy so irate?

In defiance of instinct, and compliance to impulse; with the overtaking of curiosity, she made the decision to embark across viridian grass, and step within the maze beside her. Her actions were not without apprehension. The most poorly hearing of ears could tell where the yells were coming from, volume increasing among full hedges. They proved to be fine directory; her tense body weaved through with little trouble. The mystical rustle of the wind passing through leaves was unable to be noticed and appreciated.

A heartbeat later and Gwendolyn had found the final turn. She had proceeded to dash around it, and discovers what was going on, but overbearing instinct stopped her; broke through successfully and grasped hold, preventing her advancement. She realized that it would be best to obey the strong warnings within her.

She heard Peter's voice rise even more. "What the hell do you mean? He got away from you again? You're worthless!" his voice was filled with vehement. Boy was he pissed. This was definitely not the time to dart out mindlessly. She hesitated, before poking her cautious head tentatively around instead of her whole body.

_Bang! _She snapped back a second later, a sound she knew too well split through the air. Thunder glided past her ear, and she sucked in a frightened gasp, her heart skipping a beat. That was a stray bullet! She flinched seconds later at another crack of gunfire. It was followed up by another bullet. What the heck was going on?

She tried to recoil further, but a purple blur shot past her, yanking her wrist along with it. She squeaked out a scream, her body jerking forward and too-large boots following agile steps; pounding on the grass ungracefully. They passed a startled Peter and a body on the ground; a dead body. Time seemed to slow down for a moment as frightened eyes of blue met with shocked red ones; the contact was quickly cut off by a wall of dark leaves.

The wrist-grabber was weaving through the maze expertly. It was obvious he had done this before. She heard a desperate shout behind her, but it was becoming a part of the background. She could hear the pounding of her heart in her ears; could feel it in her chest. Her breathing was hard, body trembling.

Gwendolyn couldn't be more grateful to bolt though the opening. Fatigue was upon her, overtaking her body like fast working venom. That gratefulness didn't last at all, she soon realizing that they were going to continue moving. It took her a second to realize that joyful laughter was reaching her ears. What did this person think was going on? This was not a time for laughter!

She tried to tug her wrist out of his grasp, but firm fingers tightened. She gave another yank. His grip became stronger, body speeding up. Blue eyes flashed with anger. "Please, let go of me!" She protested. The wrist-grabber acted as if she hadn't spoken, speed increasing even more. They were headed towards the forest, growing nearer to it with every slam of their feet. Her ebony hair whipped around her flushed face. Dizziness had overtaken her mind, and she was starting to hyperventilate. She couldn't run any longer, and tolerance had sped past its limit. She was now done with this!

A growl radiated through clenched teeth, her foot slamming forward without mercy. It came down onto the back of the wrist-grabber's leg, causing them to fly forward. He released a grunt of shock, his face impacting the dirt head-on.

She was soon to follow in his path; however, the impact was broken by his unfortunate body. They skid a few inches, her disheveled landing-pad cringing as they did so. A moment passed unmoving after, neither daring to breathe.

Her landing-pad eventually trembled out a breath, lifting his head painfully. He then gave a strained whisper, his voice sounding much younger than she had thought. "Would you mind getting off of me?" She nodded slowly; her head was spinning, heart franticly pounding at a frightening pace. She used the last of her depleted strength to roll off onto the ground. She didn't move at all after that, breathing fast and deep. She was quite fatigued.

The guy beside her got to his knees and then stood up. He turned to her with eyes of yellow, red-violet hair framing his face. Two feline ears were proud upon his head. Dirt and blood were smeared across his left cheek; an aftermath of their fall, the skin raw and badly scraped. Blue eyes became wide, guilt springing into her. She had had caused that painful injury in her rash actions. She felt horrible, and that was why sudden laughter breaking through the silence left her stunned, a dirty palm covering the stranger's mouth.

The cat-eared male found this amusing! How could he still be doing so even after that? No part of this was something to find enjoyable. Was he possibly an adrenaline junky? She blinked, her head filled with disbelief.

The laughter calmed after a strange second, and he properly addressed her, yellow eyes filled with mischief. He didn't seem to be holding any animosity towards her for sending him downward. "The prime minister was sure irate this time; even more than usual. Did it have something to do with you?" She backed up a step, her head shaking at his question. Anxiety was visible in her voice. "How should I know? I didn't know he was a prime minster. I thought he was a nice person until now." She had believed so, before he shot someone dead.

She couldn't trust him now; so did that mean she couldn't trust Queen Vivaldi either? The woman referred to herself in plural after all, so she couldn't be very stable. She also didn't seem to have good judgment when selecting her subjects, considering Peter and that psychotic knight. All three of those people had questionable sanity, so how could she know the validity of anything they had told her? Would it be safer for her to just leave their residence?

The cat-eared male tipped his head, disbelief flashing within eyes of yellow. "Nice person? The prime minister is callous and merciless." She pulled herself out of her thoughts, shifting her eyes to him, and then toward the ground, great disappointment present within them. "Yes, you're probably right. I'm sort of disheartened; I thought I had an ally in this place." Her ebony hair rippled with the disdainful shake of her head. Her expression then became a puzzled one. "Hey, why did you pull me along with you? Were you kidnapping me, or getting me away from the gunfire?"

Amusement entered the stranger's eyes, lips sliding upward into a grin. "It was the latter, actually. Avoiding it was really fun, wasn't it?" Such words were said with a relaxed tone. Gwendolyn shook her head with wide eyes and a heavy frown. She found herself questioning this person's sanity as well. "Well why did you bother to do that for me?" The cat-eared male smiled. "It's because you're a foreigner, of course. I have never met one before."

Her frown intensified. He definitely did have a screw loose. How many people in this world were like that? It couldn't possibly be _all_ of them. "What does my being a foreigner have to do with that?" He was about to respond to her, but scrunched up his face and sneezed instead. _Achoo! _Gwendolyn backed up a step. A fluffy tail twitched in annoyance, a paw swiping across his nose. "I wanted to meet you. There have only been a few foreigners to ever enter Wonderland. One of them happened to be an old woman, but I never got to meet her, because she was shot down a few hours after arriving."

Severe alarm flashed within the depths of blue eyes. Blades of grass bowed underneath the weight of mud-stained boots; boots which traveled even farther backward. "Who shot her?" The words came out slightly more demanding than she would have preferred. The stranger chuckled slightly at the reaction she displayed. "Try to guess." She was thoughtful for a moment, and then eyes of blue narrowed, followed up by a throw of her hands and a frustrated sigh. "Are you going to tell me Peter shot a defenseless old woman as well?" A smirk shamelessly reached his face. "She wasn't defenseless. She was actually the one to start firing in the first place. Even so, yeah, he did."

Gwendolyn shook her head in disgust. "And you find this funny, why?" The cat-earned male just shrugged; amusement was upon his lips. "I don't know. Stuff like that has always been funny. It's just the way it is." She shook her head again. How could he say something like that? He seemed pretty casual when it came to the subject of death; it was almost as if he were…de-sensitized. Just like Peter.

She felt untrustworthiness seize her once again. "Hey, why were you slinking around Heart Castle anyway?" He laughed again, smile wide and slightly crooked. "That's because it is fun to sneak in and try to escape." It was honest enthusiasm. Eyes of blue narrowed; pale jaw becoming clenched. It was of absolute certainty now; she had encountered yet another mentally unstable weirdo, unless he actually was just an adrenaline junky. She tensed, a debate erupting within her head; some few awkward seconds of silence ticked by.

Boris seemed to pick up on her increasingly unfriendly vibe. He glanced towards the forest, ears tipping downward and yellow eyes becoming apologetic. "Sorry, I need to leave now to meet some friends of mine. I hadn't intended on sticking around here this long anyways. I want to see you again soon, foreigner. Maybe you can meet them next time." Red-violet hair flew, as he quickly turned, proceeding to enter the leafy trees.

Gwendolyn stared silently after the retreating stranger for a few heartbeats, until she was compelled to move, an important thought arising. "Wait!" She called out to him hastily; hand jolting through the air, as if it would be affective in reaching him. The stranger stopped moving, his ears perking up, and impish eyes of yellow now curious. She hesitated a moment longer, choosing her wording. "Is there anywhere I would be able to get a job, preferably providing room and board? It could be like a maid perhaps, just somewhere away from murdering psychopaths." Two encounters were enough to last her a lifetime; if she still really was still alive, that is.

The stranger put a hand on his chin, putting an acceptable amount of thought into it. "Well, the only place without murdering psychopaths would be The Clock Tower. Oh wait, Ace likes to pop by there every now and then." He then shook his head in defeat. She drew a breath into her slowly. This foreign world just got darker; far darker. She brought a dirtied hand to her forehead, brushing back ebony strands which had fallen in her face. "Alright then, if there isn't a place within this world safe from psychopaths, tell me where the worst of them reside."

The cat-eared male flashed a crooked grin. "You just left it. That and The Hatter's Mansion. The Queen and The Mafia Boss are always butting heads. The Amusement Park is right there with them, as equally intense." She swore, feeling the urge to slap her forehead, but stopped herself right before she did so. It was a habit she had been working to break. She definitely knew now that Heart Castle wasn't the healthiest place for her. She had made up her mind. The best thing would be to leave.

She turned her face back to the stranger, piercing blue eyes of meeting that of yellow. "Uh, thank you. Would you please tell me your name?" The stranger chucked, a gentle smile following soon after. "My name is Boris. I already know yours though, news spreads rapidly. It's Gwendolyn right?" She nodded curtly, trying to relax a bit. "Yes it is."

* * *

**There, FINALLY finished! Dx It is horrible much, yes? I have the plot all laid out and ready now. ^_^**

**When I first started creating Gwendolyn, I was aiming for a tsundere character. When I put more thought and emotion into her, she became something not quite like that. She became more of a once trusting soul that is trying to protect what is left of her heart and humanity by being cold and assuming the worst out of people; even though trusting people is what she desires the most. Of course, being in a world where life is of no value, how will she be able to hold onto that humanity? If she were to lose sight of herself, how would she regain it? ;D**

**Please Read and Review! :D I love hearing all of your opinions, the good and the bad. Plus reviews motivate me to keep writing, so please, humor me. **


	4. Announcment

Uh, I know this is major a douchebag move on my part, but I am putting this story on Hiatus. I honestly don't know what I am going to do with it, or in what direction it is going. I am stumped, and may just replace the plot entirely... (Also have to re-read the manga) -_-'

And to disappoint y'all further, I am focusing my main efforts on just passing/surviving the tenth grade right now, and the time I do have to write, I am too tired too. (Yes, excuses, excuses, excuses…)

Well, I will try to work on it when I can, just have no guarantee when it will be up again…

Gomennasai, and hasta luego…


End file.
